This invention relates to a packaging machine having a filling mechanism for depositing product into flexible upright pouches adapted to be advanced step-by-step along a predetermined path. Each pouch is advanced to and momentarily stops in a filling station located along the path and is filled with product during the dwell period.
The invention more particularly relates to a filling mechanism for depositing solid food product into the pouches. The food product may, for example, be discrete chunks of meat or may be stacked slices of meat such as turkey or ham.
It has been proposed to deposit such a product into the pouches through the use of a funnel-like device which moves upwardly and downwardly above the pouch in the filling station. When the funnel is in its raised position, a pre-weighed quantity of product is delivered to the funnel. The loaded funnel then is moved downwardly toward the pouch to deposit the product into the pouch. Difficulty has been encountered, however, in making certain that all of the product in the funnel is delivered to the pouch. Some types of product tend to hang up and remain in the funnel and thus the pouch receives a short fill.